#program: elvis medley

[gofigureelectra]

Hanya Sasaki - Japanese Nationals 22

Program: Elvis medley

Elements:

3A (!!) | 2Lz3T | FCS4 | SS3 | 3Lo (step out) | StSq2 | ChCoS3

While I’m never a fan of Elvis programs, I’m actually very impressed with Hanya’s commitment to the choreography and character, especially all the pointography (to use a Jackie-ism, now I miss Michal Brezina ;0; ) and his facials. very enjoyable even with his mistakes.

Score: 64.73 into 6th

[virtchandmoir]

Photos: Sudha

[thepermanentrainpress]

PREVIEW: STARS ON ICE AT ROGERS ARENA - MAY 19TH, 2022

You’ll recognize the names Kurt Browning and Elvis Stojko, icons for what they’ve accomplished on both the national and world stage during their careers in the sport. Tour director/choreographer Jeffrey Buttle and former national junior champion Elladj Baldé will certainly bring flair and character to the ice. Baldé has done extensive work to bring the sport into mainstream culture, while increasing accessibility in BIPOC communities and supporting self-expression beyond competition. His activism alone inspires. 

Ice dancers Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje are slated to perform, in addition to two-time US champion Alissa Czisny and four-time Japanese champion Satoko Miyahara. Known for her elegance, grace and attention to detail in performances, Miyahara announced her retirement from competitive figure skating in March. She’ll be one to watch in her North American debut in Stars On Ice. Rounding out the cast is Kaetlyn Osmond, a formidable Canadian champion whose ‘Swan Lake/Black Swan’ program is still one of my all-time favourite free skates – you may remember it helping her win the bronze medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, and the World title a month later in Milan. 

Expect a jam-packed show with both individual and ensemble performances, costume changes, and great music. Across two acts, the skaters will perform to a melting pot of tracks including Noah Cyrus’ “Lonely,” The Rolling Stones’ “How Can I Stop” and Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” with a cast finale to an Elton John medley. I’m almost certain Messing and Baldé will show off their signature backflips, and there will be jumps, spins, lifts, and crossovers for days! 

Programs to watch for include Messing’s humbling free skate this season (to “Home”), Miyahara’s interpretation of Barbara Pravi’s “Voilà,” and any of the cast medleys that start and finish the acts. It’s chemistry and genuine happiness to be skating that can’t be feigned. 

Stars On Ice has captured fans around the world for over thirty years, highlighting some of the sport’s brightest talent in an interactive experience. Tapping into the athletes’ showmanship and athleticism, the night will prove that different (but equally rich) backgrounds can come together and create magic.

For further information, visit their official website and purchase your tickets through Ticketmaster. The tour offers discounts for groups over ten, so it’s the perfect opportunity for an outing with friends or family!

-

Photo credit to: James Bennett (cover) and Jason Thompson (bottom)

[figure-skating-watch-party]

US summer comps

There have been various summer figure skating competitions in the US, some videos are available online and I’ve seen some, so let’s talk!

Isabeau Levito (Skate Milwaukee) The Swan / Swan Lake Russian folk dance I fell in love with her skating a month ago watching Peggy Fleming Trophy and I’m still mesmerized by her interpretation skills. The illusion spins! The SP is so beautiful T_T. She’s already one of my favourite ladies. 

Chelsea Liu/Danny O’Shea (Glacier Falls Summer Open, Las Vegas Open)  Lover / Becoming human They are a new pair and look awesome! I really liked Tarah and Danny and was said they split. But there’s a new pair, they looked satisfied, they did a good job in the SP. And the FP was really nice with good throw jumps and interesting entry into the lifts.  

Gracie Gold (Philadelphia Summer Championships) East of Eden / Daphnis et Chloe The SP was so nice. Beautiful, fresh skating, light jumps, nice spins and spirals. The FP didn’t feel so light, there were problems with the jumps, but still I liked the skating overall and the spirals. (According to Youtube comments it was one big catastrophe, but YT comments are sometimes also a catastrophe so...)

Yaroslav Paniot (Glacier Falls Summer Open) Saturday Night Fever / Elvis Presley medley He’s a showman, I love him. LOVE HIM. He’s even more expressive and extroverted in the new SP than he was in the Elvis FP. So musical, the moves he does on the ice.  For some reason, I thought he changed also his FP, but Elvis is here to stay. The SP and FP are a bit similar but while the SP is 100 % energy, the FP varies, eg. the second song is slower, calmer. 

I don’t know how it is with his US nationality status... I really really hope he gets it and gets it soon. After he was released from the Ukraine federation which is no small feat imo... he really deserves this. I think he and Vincent are the biggest contenders for going to Nebelhorn and trying to get the third Olympic spot. (Maybe we’ll know more in a week after the Cranberry Open where both of them compete.)

Jessica Calalang/Brian Johnson (Glacier Falls Summer Open) Come together / Never break So good to see them, I was getting worried. The SP is pretty energetic, big twist! Mixed success on the jumps in the FP. However, their skating is so nice to look at, with pretty lines and such beautiful lifts. 

Andrew Torgashev (Glacier Falls Summer Open) Malaguena / ? I found only his SP and it’s Malaguena?! Woooow. Javi set the bar reaaaally high and every Malaguena program is a Javi tribute, but Andrew was so good. Like how? I was so surprised. The interpretation was good, the intensity and energy were there, spins were great. I’m looking forward to see it again! 

Kailani Craine (Glacier Falls Summer Open) Heart of Glass / ? I really liked this performance, especially the step sequence. After the short program she was even leading the comp.

[indefinableship]

RTR Red Deer

So, I went to the Red Deer show last night. Below is a writeup of the whole experience. Feel free to skip it as it’s not going to be short or picture-filled, but I���m writing this for my sake, not that I’d forget about it any time soon.

I didn’t take many pictures as I mainly filmed bits of the show. But I quite like this one. (I’ll put the rest of my rambling under the cut.)

About two months ago, in a moment of weakness (I was probably struggling to finish a paper or something), I considered the idea of flying to Canada specifically to see Tessa and Scott on tour. So I started looking at possible dates and made some preliminary arrangements. Then I messaged my best friend saying that I was thinking about going to see a show far far away in October even though I wasn’t sure if I’d have time to do so. He simply replied: "Clear your schedule then!” (That’s what best friends are for, right?) My schedule wasn’t entirely cleared, but I’m here anyway. And I’m glad I did.

Having watched some videos taken by fans who went to previous shows, I kind of knew what to expect of the show before hand. Of course I was there mostly for Tessa and Scott, but the other skaters were fantastic to watch as well. I was at the TYCT Moncton last year, so I knew the crowd would LOVE Elvis and Patrick. Kaetlyn was charismatic and loved by the crowd too. She fell a couple of times, once actually slipping off the ice, but she got right back up and finished the rest of her performance like a champ, with a dazzling smile. Although the crowd didn’t know the non-Canadian skaters as well, I think people fell in love with them as the show progressed. It was so fun watching Jeremy skate, and his back flips always drove the audience wild. Tati and Max won people’s hearts with their beautiful lifts and skills. Carolina really stood out in the 20′s Medley program, but I loved her individual program more. Wish I had filmed it too.

Now, as for Tessa and Scott, I feel like I can never sing enough praise for them. As much as I tried to capture them on film, nothing really beats seeing them skate live. They brought the fire right in the opening with the bit from their Latin Rock SD, leaving me wanting more. How I wish I could have seen the entire program live. After the opening, Tessa and Scott came out again to introduce Jeremy. As they were leaving the rink and hugging Jeremy, he took a big longer hugging Tessa, and I think I actually saw Scott holding his arm out and saying “easy there!”. I guess at this point this “hands off my partner” bit is more of a long-running gag than actual annoyance, but I love it nevertheless. Right, back to the programs. Tessa and Scott really belong in the spotlight, and they always shone brighter than the other skaters, to me at least. Their smiles and enthusiasm are contagious and I can’t help but smile myself during all the fun group numbers. Wish You Were Here was beautifully skated, no surprise there. There were some elements from their old programs, but the entire program felt fresh nonetheless. The way they brought the choreography onto the ice was just... I’m running out of words to describe how breathtakingly ethereal they looked, in addition to being in sync and connected as they always do.

At the end of the night, as the lights dimmed for THE video, I thought I was ready for the emotions since I had already watched the clips posted by other fans. But I was wrong. Nothing could prepare me for seeing them on the jumbotrons with my own eyes, talking about their journey, their partnership, and also thinking about what they were not saying out loud because their relationship was special and unique that it defies explanation to outsiders. Then came Fix You. I tried to not be sad and remind myself of what Tessa said that this marks a new beginning. Still, watching the Mahler ending feels like someone ripped a piece of my heart out. (It felt almost as painful as I later found out that I did not really film Fix You... :’( )

One of the most memorable parts of last night was the performance by the SO athlete Meg (described by Scott as “by far one of the biggest sweethearts” he’s ever met in his life) and the reaction from the cast and the crowd. People were really supportive and encouraging, and she got one of the biggest rounds of applause last night as well as a standing ovation. It really warmed my heart. It’s beyond lovely that the SO athletes were given these opportunities.

After the show ended last night, as people walked out of the arena, I saw a couple of kids dancing and twirling around as if they were jumping on the ice. I guess that’s a big part of the reason why Tessa and Scott did this tour, so that many people would leave the show feeling inspired.

The last twenty months of being their fan has been a fun and wild ride. I’ve spent way more time (and money, lbh) on them than I’d expected when I clicked on their Moulin Rouge performance for the first time. I don’t really interact with others in the fandom much, but being here and loving these two together with all of you has become an important part of my life. It’s been wonderful sharing this love I have with all of you. And thank you if you have ever liked, reblogged, or messaged me about my posts. You’ve all helped make adulting, and life in general, much more tolerable. So, lots of love to you! :)

[blackkudos]

Todrick Hall

Todrick Hall (born April 4, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, director, choreographer and YouTuber. He first gained national attention on the 9th season of the reality singing competition American Idol, where he made it to the semi-finals. Following this, he amassed a following on YouTube with multiple viral videos including original songs, parodies, and skits. A documentary series about his video-making process titled Todrick aired on MTV in 2015.

Starting with season 8, Hall became a resident choreographer on RuPaul's Drag Race, and occasional judge. From 2016 to 2017, Hall starred as Lola in Kinky Boots on Broadway. Later in 2017, he began appearances as Billy Flynn in Chicago on Broadway and the West End.

As a singer-songwriter he has released three studio albums, including the visual albums Straight Outta Oz (2016) and Forbidden (2018).

Early life

Todrick Hall was born in Plainview, Texas, on April 4, 1985. His family consists of his mother, father, one brother, and a stepfather. He knew he was different, he liked playing with dolls, and worried if they would still accept him if he turned out to be one of those gay people they made fun of on television. Hall began studying ballet at nine-years-old, and later worked with Fantasia in The Color Purple. He came out as gay to his family when he was fifteen; it took them a few years to accept. He also appeared in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and performed with Royal Caribbean, Holland America Line, and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

Career

2009–2010: American Idol

On August 24, 2009, Hall auditioned to the ninth season of American Idol in Dallas, Texas. He sang a self-composed song mentioning the judges – Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi, and guest judge Joe Jonas – to plead his case for inclusion in the program. All four judges approved of his participation; he went into Hollywood week and eventually the semi-finals. In the Top 24, he sang Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone" and in the Top 20, he performed Tina Turner's "What's Love Got to Do with It". He was eliminated in the Top 16 on 11 March 2010 after his rendition of Queen's "Somebody to Love;" he was one of four contestants eliminated in that round, and thus ranked between 13th and 16th overall.

2011–2013: Career growth and YouTube fame

Hall joined YouTube on May 27, 2006, and posted his first video to the site, a performance of "It's Hard to Say Goodbye", in 2008. In following years, his audience has grown considerably: as of June, 2019, Hall currently has 3.1 million subscribers on YouTube, and as of March 2018, his videos have been viewed 531.9 million times. Hall's videos include several of his own original songs and music videos, choreographed flash mobs for Ariana Grande and Beyoncé performed in an actual Target store, (the latter of which Beyoncé personally recognized Hall for), musical collaborations with Pentatonix, and personal updates.

In May 2011, he released a video audition for the third season of Glee titled "I Wanna Be on Glee", for possible inclusion in the show. Though the video was popular, Hall was not cast in the program.In November 2013, Virgin America produced a pop-music safety video directed by Jon M. Chu with music by Jean-Yves Decornet. Hall wrote the song and lyrics and starred in the video.

In December 2013, Hall released a Christmas album entitled Dear Santa, with covers of "This Christmas" and "Sleigh Bells", produced by wiidope as well as original songs "So Cold" and "SplitsOnXmasTrees".

2014–2015: Pop Star High and Todrick docuseries

From April 1 to May 13, 2014, Hall released an eight episode web series on his YouTube channel called Pop Star High. The series takes place in a world where all of the most famous Pop Stars of our day all went to high school together. The series portrays and parodies pop stars like Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Ne-Yo, Kanye West, Eminem, Jay-Z, and Tyga, and draws on the tropes of high school comedy movies. The soundtrack for the series was released on April 1, 2014.

On October 22, 2014, MTV announced Todrick, a docuseries following Hall, would premiere in 2015. On 20 December 2014, Hall produced and appeared in a commercial for the series and featured other celebrities' holiday wishes. Eight episodes of the docuseries were ordered and aired throughout 2015. The soundtrack for the show was released on October 13, 2015.

In October 2015, he was picked as Elvis Duran's Artist of the Month and was featured on NBC's Today show hosted by Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb and broadcast nationally where he performed live his single "Wind It Up".

2016–2017: Straight Outta Oz, Broadway, and RuPaul's Drag Race

Hall appeared as a guest judge on the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race; the episode, which featured a Wizard of Oz-inspired challenge, first aired on April 11, 2016. Hall reappeared as a full-time judge for RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars 2 later in 2016 and again for the ninth season aired throughout 2017.

Along with Drag Race, Hall frequently appeared on Logo TV's game show Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul alongside other celebrities. A second Season of Gay for Play is expected.

On June 23, 2016, Todrick self-released his second album, Straight Outta Oz. Straight Outta Oz is a visual concept album that uses the imagery of The Wizard of Oz to explore Todrick's own life and rise to fame. The project's first video was posted to YouTube on June 23, 2016 as well. Shortly thereafter, Hall announced the Straight Outta Oz Tour to promote the album. The tour originally ran between July 7, and August 12, 2016 in the United States and Canada.

The Straight Outta Oz Tour was interrupted by Hall's casting in the Broadway musical Kinky Boots. Hall starred as Lola, a drag queen cabaret performer. Hall's performance was well received by critics. He performed as Lola from November 1, 2016, to March 1, 2017.

The Straight Outta Oz Tour was revived in 2017 and ran between March 30, and June 5, in various North American, European, and Australian locations. It was accompanied by an expanded deluxe edition that included songs that were featured on the tour but not on the original version of the album. Additionally, the album included an extended version and new video for "Wrong Bitch" featuring Bob the Drag Queen, and a rerecorded version of Todrick's previous single "Low" featuring RuPaul.

In August 2017, he had a cameo as a back-up dancer in the music video for Taylor Swift's song, "Look What You Made Me Do".

From November 30, 2017, to January 14, 2018, played Billy Flynn in a limited engagement role in Chicago. During his tenure, the show had its best-grossing week in its 21-year Broadway history.

In December he released the documentary film Behind the Curtain about the production behind Straight Outta Oz. It was screened in select theatres and later released on home video. Later that month he had a guest appearance in the Bob's Burgers Season 8 episode "The Bleakening" as drag queen Miss Triple-Xmas (or Cleavage to Beaver) performing the song "Twinkly Lights". He also released a medley of covers of songs from the Pitch Perfect film series that was featured on the Pitch Perfect 3 Special Edition soundtrack.

2018–present: Forbidden, Haus Party & The Greatest Dancer

In March 2018 he announced his new visual album follow-up to Straight Outta Oz called Forbidden. It was released on March 27, 2018. To promote the album, Hall embarked on Forbidden: The Tour across the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

On May 15, 2019, Hall revealed that he will be releasing a trilogy of extended plays to be released across the next six months. The first EP, Haus Party, Pt. 1, was released on May 23, 2019. The first single "Glitter" was released with the album pre-order on May 16, 2019. It also featured Hall's first big hit "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels." The EPs will be supported by the Haus Party World Tour. While it was originally announced that Part Two would be released in July followed by Party Three in September 2019, the release of Haus Party, Pt. 2 was delayed to September 19, 2019.. It was supported by the singles "Wig", "Fag", and "Dripeesha" (featuring Tiffany Haddish). Part Three was originally announced to be released on October 30, 2019, then November 27. It was put up for pre-order on January 10, 2020 with two singles available, "Blue" and "Pink Dreams", and an announced release date of February 14, 2020. However, this was later pushed back to May 1, 2020.

On June 17, 2019, Hall appeared in the music video for singer-songwriter Taylor Swift's song "You Need to Calm Down"; he co-executive produced the video with Swift. On June 19, 2019, Hall announced that he will be returning to Broadway to play Ogie Anhorn in the musical Waitress opposite friend Colleen Ballinger, who will be making her Broadway debut as Dawn Williams from August 20 until September 15.

In August 2019 he joined the panel of Dance Captains for the second series of The Greatest Dancer alongside the other Dance Captains Cheryl, Oti Mabuse and Matthew Morrison. The series aired on BBC One in January 2020.

Artistry

Hall is a baritenor with a soulful, expressive voice, including falsetto; in addition to a singer, Hall is also a rapper. The genre of his works include R&B, pop, hip hop, neo-soul, funk, and musical theatre. Many of his lyrics include elements of social commentary, such as gun violence in and against black communities in "Water Guns" (featuring Jordin Sparks), acceptance of interracial relationships in "Color" (featuring Jay Armstrong Johnson) and queer culture; Hall writes and produces much of his own music with Jeeve Ducornet and wiidope. Hall also posts musical tributes to his favorite musical artists such as Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Taylor Swift. These tributes feature elaborately-produced mashups of the artists' songs sung by Hall.

Hall's music videos often feature extravagant production value not typically associated with artists outside major labels. Hall's videos often include bespoke costumes and urban fashion, elaborate sets, and extensive choreography, much of which is designed or created by Hall himself. He frequently directs his own videos as well. As part of his style, many of Hall's music videos include drag as a central component, either featuring Hall in drag himself or famous drag queens including RuPaul, Bob the Drag Queen, Willam Belli, and Alaska Thunderfuck, among others.

Personal life

He came out as gay at the age of fifteen.

[beautifulstorms]

Javier Fernandez

Senior Programs (this tryhard competed in both junior and senior from 2006-2009) 

2006-2007: SP Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, LP El Padrino (I can’t find a video of this! if you can, please message me)

2007-2008: SP Requiem for a Dream, LP The Mission

2008-2009 (breakthrough): SP Entre dos aguas, LP Romeo and Juliet, LP The Matrix

2009-2010 (first olympics): SP The Mexican, SP James Bond, SP The Matrix  (why did he compete a different SP for EACH major event), LP Pirates of the Caribbean

2010-2011: SP Rhumba d’Amour/Nu pogodi, LP Pirates of the Caribbean

2011-2012: SP I Love Paris/Petit Fleur, LP Verdi there’s so many songs in this

2012-2013: SP The Mask of Zorro, LP Charlie Chaplin

2013-2014 (european champ, 4th at olympics): SP Satan Takes a Holiday, LP Peter Gunn/Harlem Nocturne

2014-2015 (world champ): SP Black Betty, LP The Barber of Seville

2015-2016 (world champ): SP Malaguena, LP Guys and Dolls

2016-2017 (european champ): SP Malaguena, LP Elvis Medley

2017-2018 (bronze medal at olympics): SP Modern Times, LP Man of La Mancha

Exhibition programs coming soon!

[figure-skating-confessions]

“This is super nitpicky but I don't like it when skaters, choreographers, commentators refer to program music as "________ medley" like: Piazzolla medley, Elvis medley, and so on. Say the tracks' names. If it's a timing issue, just say the first track in the program. This also applies to calling a program "Vivaldi's Four Seasons" when the program is just selections from Summer and Winter. IDK it just bugs me.“

[sophia-helix]

now that I think bout it, Last season, both their rock programs were cursed (Let's go crazy and Elvis medley) and I find that both funny, sad and disturbing...

I was just saying that the other day! If you put together their good 2016-2017 programs, what a fantastic pair, but the other two were cursed. I love LGC but never cared much for Elvis, and I think the truth is neither of them really connected to those programs, which were very American in contrast to Malagueña and H&L. They both did much better the next season with programs that were nationally connected as well as short programs they chose themselves with themes they already loved.

[sywtwfs]

2017 Grand Prix Final Preview: Men

After a tumultuous Grand Prix season, we’ve come to the end of the line - the top 6 qualifiers in each discipline will compete at the Grand Prix Final in Nagoya, Japan! Here’s our first preview of the competitors making their way to Japan next week. For more information on some of the top men at large, check out our Who’s Who introductions from earlier this season, as well as our GPF pairs and ladies previews. Streaming information for the GPF will be posted on Monday.

“Unexpected” hardly covers the shocking upheavals that have occurred in the men’s discipline so far this season. With numerous cases of illnesses, injuries, and a total of 14 withdrawals from the Grand Prix series, including familiar faces we’ve come to expect at the Grand Prix Final, perhaps it’s necessary to first talk about who won’t be in Nagoya:

Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN): Reigning World, Olympic, and GPF Champion, who withdrew from his second GP event, NHK Trophy, after injuring his ankle on a quad lutz attempt in practice;

Patrick Chan (CAN): 3-time World Champion, who, after finishing 4th at Skate Canada, withdrew from his second GP event in order to focus on Nationals;

Javier Fernandez (ESP): 2-time World Champion, who finished an unfortunate 6th at Cup of China due to a stomach bug. Although he won his second GP event, Internationaux de France, it was not enough to qualify for the Final;

Boyang Jin (CHN): Reigning and 2-time World Bronze Medalist, who qualified for the Final, but withdrew to recover from sprains in both ankles.

We wish full and speedy recoveries to all injured skaters and hope that they can perform to their full potential in the second half of the season. That said, there are still several talented skaters who made it to the Final this year, and it will be very interesting to see how the event pans out. If this season has taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected.

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NATHAN CHEN

Representing: USA

Age: 18

ISU Personal bests: SP 104.12, FS 204.34, total 307.46

ISU Season’s best: 293.79

Notable titles: 2017 Four Continents Champion, 2016 Grand Prix Final Silver Medalist, 2017 US National Champion

Programs: SP - Nemesis; FS - Mao’s Last Dancer

Grand Prix events: Rostelecom Cup (1st), Skate America (1st)

The only man this season to win both of his Grand Prix events, Nathan Chen enters his second Grand Prix Final as the top qualifier, although his road to Nagoya was not without some potholes. Nathan started his Grand Prix series with two strong performances at Rostelecom Cup, winning his career-first Grand Prix and beating Yuzuru Hanyu by a small margin. He then set a new personal best score in the short program at Skate America, despite a nick in one of his skate blades. Unfortunately, this high didn’t last; after changing his blade prior to the free skate, Nathan fell twice and popped several jumps. Although he won Skate America overall, he finished second in the free skate behind Adam Rippon.

Media outlets have been calling Nathan the new “quad king” of US skating - he is the first and only man so far to land 5 types of quads in competition, among his many other quad-related records. With his arsenal of quads, especially the high-scoring flip and lutz, Nathan has a decent shot at winning the Grand Prix Final if he’s on. He has also made huge artistic strides this season, with a cool and contemporary short program forming a marked contrast with his Chinese-themed free skate. If Nathan has solved his equipment issues by the Grand Prix Final, look for him to be on the podium for the second year in a row - maybe at the very top.

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SHOMA UNO

Representing: Japan

Age: 19

ISU Personal bests: SP 104.87, FS 214.97, total 319.84

ISU Season’s best: 319.84

Notable titles: 2017 World Silver Medalist, 2017 Four Continents Bronze Medalist, 2-time Grand Prix Final Bronze Medalist, 2016 Japanese National Champion

Programs: SP - Four Seasons: Winter; FS - Turandot

Grand Prix events: Skate Canada (1st), Internationaux de France (2nd)

Bronze at the last two Grand Prix Finals in a row, Shoma Uno enters this competition for the third time with the highest season’s best score among the men. He handily won his first Grand Prix event, Skate Canada, with a score over 300 points. Shoma is the only man to break the 300-point barrier so far this season. However, a bout of flu after Skate Canada prevented him from practicing for his second Grand Prix, Internationaux de France, where he struggled through both programs to finish second behind Javier Fernandez.

Shoma has set quad-related records of his own - he was the first man to land a quad flip back in 2016. With his combination of difficult jumps and high PCS, Shoma also has a good shot at winning the Grand Prix Final title. His season so far has been a mixed bag of record highs and lackluster (though not outright disastrous) lows. The final result will come down to consistency and conditioning. As the only Japanese man competing at the Final in his hometown of Nagoya, Shoma will also have to deal with the pressure of the media and the expectations of his countrymen, an experience that may help him in the future as he looks towards the Olympic Games.

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MIKHAIL KOLYADA

Representing: Russia

Age: 22

ISU Personal bests: SP 103.13, FS 185.27, total 279.41

ISU Season’s best: 279.38

Notable titles: 2017 European Bronze Medalist, 2017 Russian National Champion

Programs: SP - Piano Concerto No.23 (Mozart); FS - Elvis Presley Medley

Grand Prix events: Rostelecom Cup (3rd), Cup of China (1st)

On the cusp of breaking through to the top for a couple of seasons now, Mikhail Kolyada caught his biggest break so far at Cup of China, where he won his career-first Grand Prix with a 100+ score in the short program. He also became one of the few men to land a clean quad lutz in competition, although the jump is still fairly inconsistent for him. He has the capability to stand on the Grand Prix Final podium - maybe even win it, if others falter - in his first appearance there, but he is just as capable of bombing. It’s difficult to predict how he’ll do, but Mikhail has certainly inserted his name into the conversation this season.

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SERGEI VORONOV

Representing: Russia

Age: 30

ISU Personal bests: SP 90.33, FS 181.06, total 271.12

ISU Season’s best: 271.12

Notable titles: 2014 European Silver Medalist, 2015 European Bronze Medalist

Programs: SP - Adios Nonino; FS - Sarabande Suite

Grand Prix events: NHK Trophy (1st), Skate America (3rd)

At 30 years of age, Sergei Voronov is one of the oldest skaters in the men’s field - but that hasn’t stopped him from winning a Grand Prix for the first time in his career and qualifying for the Final. Still landing quad toe loops with remarkable consistency, Sergei produced steady performances at both of his Grand Prix events. Although his technical content isn’t quite high enough to compete for the top spots, he might find himself on the Grand Prix Final podium again if other skaters underperform. More importantly, strong performances at the Final can help secure a spot for Sergei on Russia’s 2-person men’s Olympic team.

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ADAM RIPPON

Representing: USA

Age: 28

ISU Personal bests: SP 89.04 FS 182.28, total 267.53

ISU Season’s best: 266.45

Notable titles: 2016 US National Champion, 2010 Four Continents Champion

Programs: SP - Let Me Think About It; FS - Arrival of the Birds/O

Grand Prix events: NHK Trophy (2nd), Skate America (2nd)

Another veteran of the men’s field, Adam Rippon simply keeps getting better with age. Although he missed the second half of last season with a foot injury, Adam has picked up right where he left off. Two solid performances at NHK Trophy nabbed him a silver medal behind Sergei Voronov. At Skate America, he set a personal best score in the short program, but disaster almost struck in the free skate - Adam dislocated his shoulder for the second time this season after a fall on a quad lutz, but he promptly popped it back in and finished the rest of his program with no errors. He ended up winning the free skate and finished second overall behind Nathan Chen, qualifying for his second Grand Prix Final and making a strong case for the US Olympic team.

Although Adam’s lack of reliable quads makes it difficult for him to compete with the top, he is one of the most engaging and versatile performers in the current field, and one of the most consistent jumpers. Look out for his energetic, club-themed short program, as well as his mesmerizing free skate to “Arrival of the Birds” and Coldplay’s “O”. Adam also popularized the “Rippon” jump variation with both arms above a skater’s head, but he has not performed it this season due to his shoulder dislocations.

(gif)

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JASON BROWN

Representing: USA

Age: 22

ISU Personal bests: SP 94.32, FS 182.63, total 273.67

ISU Season’s best: 261.14

Notable titles: 2015 US National Champion

Programs: SP - The Room Where It Happens (Hamilton); FS - Inner Love

Grand Prix events: Skate Canada (2nd), NHK Trophy (4th)

Called up to his first Grand Prix Final after Boyang Jin’s withdrawal, Jason Brown will have a chance to redeem his lackluster performances at NHK Trophy and improve his case for the 3-person US men’s Olympic team. Although he is an energetic performer and usually receives high PCS, costly jump errors at NHK Trophy left Jason in 4th place after a strong showing at Skate Canada where he won the silver medal. Perhaps one of the most interesting matchups at the GPF will be how Jason fares against Adam - both men have inconsistent quads, although Adam attempts the harder quad lutz, and both need to be spot-on with their triples in order to make a dent.

[yuzuru-senshu]

Hey there ! I'm rather new at this whole figure skating thing. ^^ Now I've been getting rather familiar with the 2017-2018 and the whole carrer of Yuzuru Hanyu, so I'm looking for other programs and performances worth watching. Any favorites to recommend ? Thank you !

Hello, and welcome to the figure skating family!!

Anything by Yuna Kim (my fave is her James Bond program)

Javier Fernandez (Aerobics Class EX, Man of La Mancha, Malagueña, Elvis Medley)

Nathan Chen (Nemesis, Stole the Show EX)

Maia Shibutani/Alex Shibutani (That’s Life, Spiegel im Spiegel, Paradise)

Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir (Moulin Rogue, Rolling Stones/Eagles/Santana, Prince Medley)

Wenjing Sui/Han Cong (Bridge Over Troubled Water, Hallelujah, Turandot)

Other people I like watching: Shoma Uno, Satoko Miyahara, Adam Rippon, Patrick Chan, Jason Brown, Mirai Nagasu (especially her Olympics 2018 Team Event performance), Mao Asada, Papadakis/Cizeron, Savchenko/Massot, Boyang Jin, Kaetlyn Osmond

I hope this list is a good starting point for you to go and discover skaters/programs you really love!

[virtchandmoir]

Photos: p

[iguana012]

The men of figure skating: heading into the 2017-2018 season

Once upon a time, in a frosty February day in 2010, Evgeni Plushenko was standing unimpressed on the second step of the podium. He had come to win his second consecutive Olympic gold and become the first figure skater to do so since Dick Button. But as he was standing on the second step of the podium, an orange bro whose name was Evan came and sh00k his hand and climbed on the highest step. Little did the orange bro know that his stunt at that competition (not attempting any quads at all due to a stress fracture sustained in the previous season) would give birth to what we call today the quad generation. Evgeni would have probably sold his soul to Putin the devil just so he could finally play with the kids he’s been looking for all his life. So here we are in the eve of the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, the top 6 men can execute at least two different types of quads and Yuzuru Hanyu will probably never retire unless he lands the 4A in competition, the only quad (4 and a half revolutions) that has never been landed before and will probably never continue to be landed on a regular basis due to the difficulty and increased injury risk. Unlike the ladies field, the men have the “big 6″ who are very likely to lock the first 6 positions at the Olympics and then there’s the rest. I will focus on these 6 skaters under the cut and make a list of other skaters to look out for because ice is slippery and you never know. 

1. Yuzuru HANYU, JPN (#1 in the WS)

2014 Olympic Gold Medalist

2014 & 2017 World Champion

2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 Grand Prix Final Champion

2011, 2013, 2017 Four Continents Silver Medalist 

2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Japanese National Champion

Birthday: December 7, 1994

Nicknames: Yuzu, Yuzu-kun and whatever else the British Eurosport guys feel like calling him 

Trademarks: first man to land a quad loop in competition, triple axels in his sleep, hella transitions, hella skating skills, Canadian silver, Winnie the Pooh, usually goofy but gets hella scary in his competitor mode, boobskirt, random cabbage-like fabric on his costumes 

Current record holder in the SP (112.72), FS (223.20) and combined total (330.43)

He has broken 12 world records in his career

The first Asian figure skater competing in men's singles to win the Olympic Gold

The first skater to successfully land 3 quad jumps in the second half of a free skating program

According to various reports he has landed the 4A in practice 

Quads he will attempt this season: 4T, 4S, 4Lo, 4Lz 

Notable performances: Romeo & Juliet 1, Parisienne Walkways, Seimei, Ballade no. 1, Let’s Go Crazy, Hope and Legacy 

2.  Shoma UNO, JPN (#2 in the WS)

2017 World Silver Medalist

2017 4CC Bronze Medalist

2015 & 2016 Grand Prix Final Bronze Medalist

2016 Japanese National Champion

Birthday: December 17, 1997

Nicknames: Shoma-kun (Shomadot, Shomajesty, Shominator, Don Shoma if you wanna listen to fans)

Trademarks: first man to land a quad flip in competition, bionic knee that allows him to save the most terrifying jumps, nice skating skills, musicality, #intense performance, Daisuke Takahashi fanboy, 3A-1Lo-3F combo 

Personal best scores: 104.87 (SP), 214.97 (FS), 319.48 (total)

Quads he will attempt this season: 4T, 4S, 4Lo, 4F 

Notable performances: Tzigane, The Blessed Spirits, Violin Sonata, Turandot, Legends, Fantasy for Violin & Orchestra, Balada Para Un Loco

3.  Javier FERNANDEZ, ESP (#3 in the WS)

2015 & 2016 World Champion

2013 & 2014 World Bronze Medalist

Gazillion (5 consecutive time) European Champion

2011, 2014 & 2015 Grand Prix Final Medalist

Basically the only National Champion in Spain lolz

Birthday: April 15, 1991

Nicknames: Javi, SuperJavi

Trademarks: Elvis on ice, eyelashes, finished 35th at his first Worlds now he #yolos his way to the gold, pioneer in Spanish skating

Personal bests: 109.05 (SP), 216.41 (FS), 314.93 (total)

Quads he will attempt this season: 4T, 4S  

Notable performances: Chaplin, Black Betty, The Barber of Seville, Guys and Dolls, Malaguena, Elvis Medley

4. Patrick CHAN, CAN (#4 in the WS)

2014 Olympic Silver Medalist #CanadianCurse

2011, 2012 & 2013 World Champion

2009, 2012 & 2016 Four Continents Champion

2010 & 2011 Grand Prix Final Champion

9-time Canadian National Champion

Birthday: December 31, 1990

Nicknames: PChan, PChiddy, Chiddles 

Trademarks: skating skills for the ages, Canadian 3A, coaching changes like holy shit, foot in mouth syndrome, landing 4S late in his career like wtf, hilarious falls 

Personal bests: 102.13 (SP), 203.99 (FS), 295.27 (total)

Quads he will attempt this season: 4T, 4S

Notable performances: Take Five, Phantom Of The Opera, Elegie, The Four Seasons, Chopin Medley, Beatles Medley, A Journey

5. Boyang JIN, CHN (#5 in the WS)

2016 & 2017 World Bronze Medalist

2016 Four Continents Silver Medalist

2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Chinese National Champion

Birthday: October 3, 1997

Nicknames: tian tian (Boyangman, Cowboyang by fans)

Trademarks: his 4Lz can bring a plane down, he’s Spiderman but better, live streams of him eating, drinking, singing to Justin Bieber and other nerdy things

Personal bests: 98.64 (SP), 204.94 (FS), 303.58 (total)

The first skater to ever land a 4Lz-3T combination in a competition

The first skater to have landed four quad jumps in a free skate

The first skater to have landed six quad jumps in competition

Quads he will attempt this season: 4T, 4S, 4Lz

Notable performances: Dragon Racing 2015, Dragon Racing 2016, Bouncy Balls, Cowboyang, Spiderman, La Strada

6. Nathan CHEN, USA (#7 in the WS)

2017 Four Continents Champion

2016 Grand Prix Final Silver Medalist

2017 US National Champion

Birthday: May 7, 1999

Nicknames: Slaythan, Baethan, Dominathan (started by fans but at this point I’m not sure whether he’s actually called like that or not)

Trademarks: hella quads, hella moonwalk on blades

Personal bests: 103.12 (SP), 204.34 (FS), 307.46 (total)

The first skater to land five different quad jumps (4T, 4S, 4Lo, 4F and 4Lz) in competition

The first skater to land a 4F-3T combination in competition

The first skater to land five quad jumps in a free skate

The first skater to land seven clean quad jumps in a competition

Quads he will attempt this season: 4T, 4S, 4Lo, 4F, 4Lz

Notable performances: Chattanooga Choo Choo / Summertime, Michael Jackson Medley, Piano Concerto no. 1, Symphony no. 3 avec Orgue, Le Corsaire, Polovtsian Dances

Other skaters to look out for:

Mikhail Kolyada, RUS

Adam Rippon, USA

Jason Brown, USA

Maxim Kovtun, RUS

Max Aaron, USA

Vincent Zhou, USA

Deniss Vasiljevs, LAT

Misha Ge, UZB

Han Yan, CHN

Kevin Reynolds, CAN

Takahito Mura, JPN

Denis Ten, KAZ

Jun Hwan Cha, KOR

Keiji Tanaka, JPN

Daisuke Murakami, JPN

[figure-skating-watch-party]

French nationals

It looked like nationals this year were cancelled but in the end they were only postponed, though there were less participants. Apparently, they had to achieve a certain points minimum, and of course Mae-Berenice Meite stayed in the US as well as Papadakis/Cizeron and Lauriault/Le Gac in Canada. 

Which leaves us with five men, two pairs and two ice dance teams. (I don’t watch ladies.) 

ICE DANCE I have to admit I was looking forward to seeing Lagouge/Caffa the most and their opera on ice... and they probably didn’t achieve the required points... (or it can be because Arnaud is competing in Mr. France) (Also, what about Wagret/Suquet?) 

Evgenia Lopareva/Geoffrey Brissaud - Too darn hot/Duft punk They did a good (a bit standard) job. The most interesting for me was the second half of their FD with side by side hydroblade slides. 

Adelina Galiavieva/Louis Thauron - Mamma mia/Perfume I really like their lively (and lovely) RD! And they have a new FD, so dramatic. 

PAIRS So... there were some traditional issues with the video and SPs are unavailable. Both teams are so young so they have plenty of time to improve. What they also had in common here was one botched lift in the FP (that one from K/P looked quite scary) but otherwise a great performance. 

Cleo Hamon/Denys Strekalin - FP: The Fifth Element I love them since I saw them at JGP.  And this program is really awesome.

Coline Keriven/Noël-Antoine Pierre - FP: U-turn I was amazed by their huuuge throws. And liked their hand in hand spiral.

MEN Kevin Aymoz - Indigene/Lighthouse Kevin and his moves are from another planet. I have to admit that I really don’t like his SP music (nothing deep, just not my genre) but he could skate to anything and make it awesome and make me watch it in amazement. I love the sit spin, give me all the illusion spins. Yes!  I have no words for the FP. He’s simply amazing and unique. 

Romain Ponsart - Fix You/Elvis Presly medley Confession time: I’ve always thought that Romain’s programs were a bit boring... And now? The SP was great! Such effortless skating, so light, huge ice coverage. And the FP was even better. So it’s not only Yaroslav Paniot, also Romain Ponsart is a great Elvis on the ice ;)

Francois Pitot - The Untold/Elton John medley Poor poor baby. It really wasn’t his competition T_T Though the SP choreography is interesting. 

Davide Lewton-Brain - Smile/Poeta I’m so happy that French federation invited Davide, as a skater representing Monaco, even this time. I love him. You anc’t expect the highest technical difficulty from him but you can expect interesting choreo, good music, a lot of attention to detail. He just makes you smile and enjoy his skating.  I especially love his short, with all the twizzles, spread eagles, joyful skating. 

Adam Siao Him Fa - The rise of skywalker theme/Leave a light on I honestly have no opinion about his programs. Good job in the free. 

[figureskatingcostumes]

Ivan Righini skating to an Elvis Presley medley for his free program at the 2017 Lombardia Trophy and 2018 Italian Championships.

(Source: artonice.it)

[auskultu]

BRITONS BLAST BEATLES’ TV SPECTACULAR

uncredited writer, Chicago Tribune, 27 December 1967

LONDON — British critics and hundreds of television viewers grumbled in protest today over a Beatles’ television spectacular that included a stripper and a medley of electric rock.

“Blatant rubbish,” said one critic. Others complained it was "a great big bore,” “tasteless nonsense,” and “witless conceit.

The hairy quartet romped for 50 minutes across British; Broadcasting corporation screens last night in a show directed and produced by them and entitled Magical Mystery Tour.

Will Air It Again BBC officials said after it was over they had been swamped by calls from viewers, almost all of them irate. However, they said the program, which received a week of promotional publicity and drew one of the biggest audiences, would be aired again in two weeks.

The plotless show was conceived by Paul McCartney, one of the Beatles, while returning from a visit to the United States. It involves a busload of holiday merrymakers off on a “mystery” tour.

Along the way they sing and visit a military camp, a children’s playground, the South pole, and a strip joint.

Does Strip-Tease A shapely brunette stripped i while a singer did an early Elvis Presley imitation. A “censored” sign was strategically placed to keep the stripper from complete toplessness.

The newspaper critic said that the BBC official who authorized the showing should be “condemned to a year squatting at the feet of the Mahesh Maharishi yogi,” an Indian mystic who counts the Beatles among his followers.

A Beatles’ spokesman was unruffled.

“Those who failed to understand,” he said, “were obviously looking for reality.”

Sources said the Beatles planned to sell the film in 40 countries in hopes of earning 12.4 million dollars. It cost $96,000 to produce, they said.